Folding bed.



N. E WA O TM D.

FOLDING BED.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. '12, 1903.

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PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

D. T. OWEN.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1903.

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1\r0.791,717.`l EATENTED JUNE 671905.

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FOLDING BED.

APPLIoATIoN FILED sEPT.12. 1903..

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` UNITED STATES Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID T. OWEN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE D. T. OWEN COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,71 dated June 6, 1905.

Application filedeptember 12,1903. Serial No. 172,855.

To all wharf it m/a/'y concern,.-

Be it known that I, DAVID T. OWEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the artv to which it appertains to make and use the same,

My invention relates to folding beds, and is an improvement in that class of beds having head and foot sections adapted to fold down upon the bedclothing when the bed is raised and placed out of use; and the improvement consists in the arrangement and construction of parts, substantially-as hereinafter shown and described, and, more particularly pointed out in the claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple and eective means to automatically raise and lower the head and foot sections when the bed is operated and which will for use.

Another object is to produce a folding bed combined with a couch and wherein the bed is supported in part by the couch; and a further object is to provide a separable and knockdown structure which serves as a couch-frame and an inclosing casing for the bed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of my combined couch and folding bed with the parts in position as in use as a couch and showing the bed in dotted lines as partly' lowered and at the angle when the links act to; raise the bed end sections.

Fig. 2 is a similar cross-section to Fig. 1, but with the bedv down and showing the end section raised and the supporting-leg at the front down. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a front corner-post of the bed-frame. Fig. 4 is an elevation looking at the front of the bed-frame and showing the leg and end-section connections as they appear when the bed is lowered; and Fig. 5 is a similar view, but showing the leg and end sections folded upon the bedframe, as occurs when the bed is raised. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of part of the bed and couch and showing the bed and an end section and the means for operating the section as lar view, but showing the parts as they appear when the bed is raised and confined within the inclosing casing.

The bed in this instance 1s shown as connected and related to a couch, and the bed-` combined'serve to support and also to frame in when the bed is lowered; and Fig. 7 is a simithe bed and whereby a separable and lznockdown structure is obtained to facilitate handling and shipping. Thus A representsabed or bed-frame provided with a suitable springbottom 2, 'and B a couch or couch-frame having a spring upholstered seat 3. An inclosing casing C is detachably connected with couch-frame B by means of a slotted plate 4, fastened to each side or end of the couchframe, and which plate is engaged by pins or headed rivets 5 on the inside face of said casing at its bottom. Casing C serves as a iinishing-border for the couch when the bed is raised and conceals the bed from view except at its bottom, which .is upholstered or finished to harmonize with the upholstering or finish of couch B. Bed-bottom upholstering or nish 6 is preferably a separate and removable"= frame at its front; but this front appears as the top when the bed is raised and as seen in Fig. 1. The opposite edge or side of upholstering or finish 6 is connected with the rear portionof bed-frame A by means of a series of coiled springs 8, which keeps said upholstering taut and flush against the bed springbottom 2 when the bed is raised and in use as the back of couch B. A suitable catch or dog 9, mounted upon door or bar 7, engages top board 10 of casing@ and locks said plate or bar against outward movement until released by button 11.

Bed-frame A is preferably of tublar construction and provided with corner-castings 12 and 12, respectively. The rear cornercastings 12 have an L-shaped extension or legsupport 13, which is detachably and pivotally connected, by means of bolt 14, with a supporting plate or casting 15, mounted upon plate 4 of couch-frame B. Extension 13 is preferably constructed in the L form, as shown, to provide and locate a pivot for the bed somewhat forward of the bed proper when in upright position, so that the bed will rest by its own -weight safely and securely within casing C, and thus overcome the slightest tendency of the bed to tipping or folding down when the couch is in use. It is also desirable to have the bed when in casing C rest down as low as possible to obtain stability to the whole structure and also to decrease the height of casing C to bring it into pleasing proportions with the couch, and as it is also necessary to bring the bed to'a certain elevation and plane above couch B to be out of contact therewith when the bed is lowered and when in use as a bed the L-shaped extension as described has been found to meet all these requirements. Then, again, with the pivot located as shown and with the construction as described the bed is carried entirely out of the casing and without in any wise disturbing or engaging the couch-seat or upholstering.

The end sections D of bed A are pivotally supported at d upon corner-castings 12 12 at one side of the axial center of said sections and the rigid post 17 of said castings,- and said sections when raised rest and engage upon the top of said posts. The means for operating sections D comprises a single rigid rod or link 18, Figs. 2 and 6, which connects with a crank-arm 19 on pivot member 20 of each section D and engages and is held and confined at its opposite end in a slotted keeper 21, which forms part of pivot-support casting 15 on couch-frame B, although said keeper may in some instances be a separate part and independently supported. The end of rod or link 18 is bent at right angles and is upset or provided with a head or enlargement at its end to confine it within keeper 21. The slot of said keeper is enlarged at one end to permit the head or enlarged end of rod 18 to pass 6 5 through when said parts are to be connected or taken apart. In operation it is desirable that the end sections should not respond or move immediately upon the initial lowering of the bed, because in some instances where the end sections are exceptionally high or of some peculiar shape or design said ends are apt to strike the wall if the couch be placed or backed against a wall. Keeper 21 is therefore slotted to permit link or rod 18 to slide within limits, and the end sections do not begin to rise until said link comes to the outer end of the keeper-slot.V The lowering of the bed from upright position raises the bed at the rear and draws the link back to its limit of movement in the slot, when it then begins to pull arm 19 to raise the end sections until they are seated upon posts 17 and where theyare securely held in place by link 18 until the bed is raised. When bed A is raised, link 18 pushes or lifts end sections D off their seat and all during a short arc travel of the link with the right-angled end at the end of the slot in keeper 21 as the fulcrum of this movement and until the said sections are sufficiently tilted on their pivots to shift the ceuter of gravity of said sections, and thereafter their own weight will carry them down upon the bed; but their fall is still regulated and controlled by link 18 and the movement of the bed. Then when said ends are fully down and upon the bedclothes link 18 is forced back in the slot of keeper 21 until the bed rests within casing C.

A coiled spring 22 is shown as connected to link 18 for reasons hereinafter stated; but as a matter of fact said link is compelled and will act without the aid of a spring; but in some cases it may be desirable to utilize the spring to bring the link always to its limit and also to provide a spring tension upon the end sections, so that they will bear yieldingly upon the bedclothing when the bed is raised and the sections are down.

In the event that lower or specially-designed head and foot sections are used or if the casing or couch is modified or wherever there is no objection to raising the ends immediately upon the initial lowering of the bed link 18 may have merely a lixed pivotal connection at its lower end and need not have a sliding engagement within a keeper, as shown.

When the bed A is lowered, the raising of the end sections by the means described also brings the front legs 25 of the bed into their proper place to support the bed atits front, and to all intents and purposes said leg then appears as a continuation and part of the end section-rail. Both leg 25 and section D have a pivot member 26 and 27, respectively, which is pivotally mounted upon casting 12 at one side of the axial center of leg 25 and section D, as seen in Fig. 4, and said members are provided with intermeshing teeth which carry the movement of section D forward to leg 25. When unfolded, as seen in Fig. 4, shoulder 28 of member 26 bears against the bottom of lug or post 17 on casting 12, and the weight of the bed at the front is mainly oarried by said lug or postresting upon the top or shoulder of the leg. With the pivot at one side, as described, the weight of the bed and all the weight carried thereby always tend to more securely lock the leg in place. and as the main strain is directly downward a rigid and safe support for the bed is assured. When the bed is raised to vertical position, legs 25 are folded in, Yas seen in Fig. 5, and lie parallel with and at one side of the tubular front rail of bed-frame A. Cross-bar or door 7 is pivoted or hinged upon lug 30 of casting 12' and when unlatched swings back out of the way of legs 25and permits them to pass. When bed A is down, the upholstering 6 drops down with door or plate 7 and away from bed spring-bottom 2.

The posts 17 of castings 12 of bed A when within casing C engage and rest against blocks 31 and limit the backward movement of the bed. vEnd sections D are prevented from unfolding by said blocks as well because of their engagement at 32, Fig. 7.

To separate the bed, couch, and casing merely requires the lifting of casing C to release pins 5 from the slots of plate 4 and the removal of pivot-bolts 14 and disconnection of link 18 from its keeper.

What I claim is- 1. In folding beds, a supporting-frame and a bed-frame pivoted thereon, end sections pivoted upon said bed-frame and adapted to fold at right angles to the folding of said bedframe, and a link providing a direct connection between said supporting-frame and each end section wherebyT said sections are folded and unfolded when the bed is raised and lowered, substantially as described.

2. A folding bed and a support therefor and end sections adapted to fold upon the bed, a crank-arm integral with each section at the rear side of said bed and projecting inward toward the opposite end section, and a single link pivotally connecting said crank-arm and said support whereby said sections are raised and lowered when the bed is unfolded and folded, substantially as described.

3. A folding bed and a support therefor and folding end sections for said bed, anda single link for each section having a sliding connection with said support adapted to raise said sections on an arc of substantially ninety degrees during a less arc movement of said bed, substantially as described.

4:. A folding bed and a support therefor, folding end sections mounted on said bed, slotted keepers mounted upon said support, and a rigid link directly connecting each section with a slotted keeper and having sliding engagement with the latter to control the folding of said sections when said bed is folded, substantially as described.

5. A support and a bed pivotally mounted' thereon and folding end sections for said bed,

a single link connected with each section, a keeper for the link mounted upon said support and a spring attached to said link and said support to hold said links and sections under spring tension when said sections are folded, substantially as described.

6. A base and a bed pivoted thereon, folding end sect-ions for said bed having pivots at one side of the aXial centerof said sections, a crank-arm integral with each vsection at the rear side of said bed and projecting inward toward the opposite end section, and a link pivotally connected with said crank-arm and base at the rear side of said bed and whereby. direct actuation is imparted to each section when the bed is folded and unfolded, substantially as described.

7. A supportingbase and a bed pivoted thereon and folding end sections pivotally vmounted on said bed, a keeper mounted on said base and a slot in said keeper, and a single link connected between each end section and said keeper and free to slide within limits in said slot and whereby said sections are raised when said link reaches the end of said slot as the bed is lowered, substantially as described.

8. A folding bed and folding end sections mounted on said bed, a pivot member for the bed and a slotted keeper integral with said member, and a single link between each end section and keeper whereby a direct rigid actuating connection is maintained to lower said ends when the bed is folded and unfolded, substantially as described.

9. A folding bed and folding legs at the front corners of said bed, folding sections at each end of said bed, operating connections between each end section and its companion leg for providing joint folding and unfolding, a support for the bed, and a single link connecting each end section at the rear side of the bed with said support whereby folding and unfolding of said sections and legs are provided for when said bed is raised and lowered, substantially as described.

10. In a folding bed, a bed-frame and a folding section mounted upon said frame at each end, a support for said frame at the rear of said bed, a single independent rigid connec- IOO IlO

tion between each folding section and said support, independent legs at the front and ends bed, a single rigid link connection between said support and end sections to fold the sections when the bed is folded, folding legs pivotally mounted on said bed at its front, and intermeshing gear-teeth between said sections and said legs to fold the legs when the sections are folded, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a folding bed with a couch, an upright inclosig casing for the bed, folding legs mounted upon the front of the bed, a door hinged across the front of the bed, a finished back for the couch stretched across the bottom of said bed and separate therefrom and having one edge attached to said door, substantially as described.

14. The combination of a couch with a bed pivotally mounted thereon, folding legs at the front of said bed, a couch-frame having an upright inclosing casing for the bed, a hinged door mounted upon the front of said bed, a finished back for the couch separably stretched over the bottom of the bed, said back having springs connecting one edge thereof with the bed and the opposite edge attached to said door, substantially as described.

15. In a folding bed, a bed-frame, and a rigid su pporting-leg at the rear and corners of said frame comprising a right-angled arm having one portion extending at right angles to the plane of the bottom and an outer portion thereof extending inward therefrom on a parallel plane with and below the line of the bottom of said bed-frame, a pivot connection and support for said leg at the end of said outer portion, and means to support the front side of the bed-frame when lowered, in combination with a couch-seat.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID T. (NVEN.

Witnesses:

R. B. Moshe, R. ZBoRNIK. 

